14 
BULLETIN 475, U. S. DEPAETMEXT OF AGEICULTUEE. 
of this type may be made to " take down/' so that they can readily 
be transported from place to place in the woods. 
SEED CLEANING. 
After the seed is separated from the cones there is still mixed with 
it a good deal of foreign matter, such as small twigs, pieces of cone 
scales, and membranous wings. Much of this foreign material can 
be screened out, but to loosen the wings from the seed requires fur- 
ther treatment. Eemoval of the wings may decrease the germinative 
power of seed to a small extent, but so greatly increases the ease with 
which they can be handled that the practice is almost universal. 
WiXG REMO^^NG. 
One of the oldest and commonest methods of removing wings is 
to work the seed over in seamless sacks, the mouths of which are 
securely tied. The wings are more readily removed from pine seed, 
to which this method is particularly applicable, if the seed are 
slightly moistened with cold water. This may be done by putting 
the seed in a box, adding a little cold water, and stirring. The en- 
tire wing may be readily detached from the seed of all the pines 
except longleaf ; but the wings on the seed of other species form part 
of the seed coat and can be removed only by actually breaking them 
off, so that moistening the seed is of (Jo^^t>tful value. The sacks are 
beaten with light flails, usually of leather, or kneaded with the 
hands and knees. Sometimes the sacks are tramped under foot for 
a few moments, but this impairs the quality of the seed. 
Another process is to pile the seed 6 or 8 inches deep on a cement 
or plank floor, sprinkle it lightly with water, and then beat it ener- 
getically with leather flails. The wings can often be removed com- 
pletely with the use of very little water. The wings of pine seed 
may be removed by moistening them slightly and then churning the 
mass in a cylindrical drum. 
AVhenever a wet process is used the seed must be dried immedi- 
ately, so that its vitality will not be impaired. The relative merit 
of dry and wet processes depends partlv upon whetlier the seed is 
to be stored for some time or used within a few months. In the 
latter case a wet prr>cess is ordinarily safe. If the seeds are to be 
stored for a year oi- more, a dry process should be used. 
Another method of removing wings is to churn the seed, together 
with a number of small wooden blocks, in a box or barrel mounted 
on an axle so as to be rotated; or the box may be kept stationary 
and friction applied by rotating brooms nailed to a spindle running 
through the center. In the latter case, if the box is tilted at a slight 
